The importance of mental wellbeing in the shadow of Coronavirus
We have loved tuning in to CIPR’s #CIPRLearn webinars throughout the last couple of months, whilst working remotely. This week’s webinar and the last of the series was hosted by Cathy Connan and focused on the importance of ‘mental wellbeing in the shadow of coronavirus.’
Without a doubt, the coronavirus pandemic has changed our working lives for the foreseeable future, but Cathy’s webinar offered some helpful tips and advice on how to continue to stay productive and ‘mind-healthy’ throughout these uncertain times.
Managing stress
Stress is defined by Sue Gerhardt as ‘A situation that overwhelms our ability to cope’ and it can come in so many different forms. Often stress is a key factor in deteriorating our mental health. But don’t fret - there were many great stress busting tips shared in this week’s webinar.
Breathe – long, slow deep breaths are more effective than you may think! We love Headspace for its helpful guided meditations and breathing exercises.
Ground yourself – Sit comfortably, feel and focus on the surroundings around you and know that you are safe. Sometimes, even sitting or lying on the floor can help you feel more rooted in your surroundings.
Convert your mind – Let your mind leave the situation and travel to a real and peaceful place.
Face your anxiety – Focus on where in your body is feeling anxious. Facing the anxiety will help your body to feel calm.
Change activities – Temporarily stop what is making you feel stressed and try an activity that takes you to a new, more positive, mindset.
Boost resilience
Being stressed is a state of mind. It is possible to boost your resilience to stress, meaning your mental wellbeing will become more positive and relaxed. We were pleasantly surprised by the tips Cathy shared on boosting resilience. We are all capable of giving these simple tips a try and we all should – we owe it to ourselves!
Get enough sleep – it’s important that we get between 6 and 8 hours of undisturbed sleep per night.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet - we’ve vowed to say no to the naughty treats more often and nourish our minds and bodies with healthy, nutritious snacks instead
Exercise regularly - sometimes breaking a sweat and raising your heart rate for a bit are great ways to get out of your own head and blow off some steam
Always remember to treat yourself once objectives are met. This can be as simple as having a cup of tea with your favourite choccy biscuit!
Remote working
As part of our mental state we have our ‘true self’ and our ‘false self’. Our true self is the part of us that is brought forward when we feel accepted, valued and safe. This is the self we want to bring to our working day. The false self is developed to protect the true self and in many cases is often what we take to our workplace. Our false selves become adapted to stressful surroundings and are often ‘people pleasers’.
Top tips to ensure you are your true self during challenging times of remote working:
Communication – ensure fluid communication between yourself and your colleagues. Uncertainty at work can quickly create a feeling of being unsafe.
Containment & Boundaries – It’s so important to have clear expectations and ensure there are strict boundaries that balance work with home life.
Stay social – continue to stay in touch with colleagues on a social level!
It’s important to remember that our mental wellbeing changes and is never fixed. We will have good days and bad days – and that’s okay!
